


Of Tigers And Bunnies

by Baka Ouji (Kaworu)



Category: Sex Pistols | Love Pistols, Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Animal Transformation, Crack, Crossover, Humour, M/M, Madararui, Romance, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-18
Updated: 2012-09-18
Packaged: 2017-11-14 12:35:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/515296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaworu/pseuds/Baka%20Ouji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a T&B kink meme @ LJ. OP wanted animal transformation, and I turned them into Madararui.</p>
<p><i>Kotetsu kept sniffing the air, sniffing </i>him<i>, Barnaby realized belatedly, moving into Barnaby's personal space, and further still. Barnaby took a step back, suddenly irrationally afraid of the other man until...</i></p>
<p>
  <i>*puff!*</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'ed, barely spellchecked, and written ages ago. Sorry for all the mistakes (I know there should be lots).

"I can't believe you've given me your germs," Barnaby complained and cringed when Kotetsu blew his nose loudly on the couch nearby.

"They're not _my_ germs," Kotetsu mumbled back and blew his nose again, earning himself a disgusted glare from Barnaby. "And why are we at _my_ place, anyway?"

Barnaby 'hmph'ed and looked away, deciding not to dignify it with an answer.

~*~flashback~*~

"Hey, Bunny-chan!" Kotetsu entered the gym with a most irritating grin.

"Old man." Barnaby acknowledged without even turning to his supposed partner.

"Try being a little nicer," Kotetsu grumbled. "Want me to help with the weights?" Without waiting for an answer, he was at Barnaby's side in an instant, but when Barnaby was ready to chase him off with a nicely placed insult, Kotetsu froze and sniffed the air. "Hmm, you smell good," he said with a frown. "New cologne?"

Inevitably, it entailed a verbal duel, and the more agitated Barnaby became, the more he felt that something was seriously wrong... Kotetsu kept sniffing the air, sniffing _him_ , Barnaby realized belatedly, moving into Barnaby's personal space, and further still. Barnaby took a step back, suddenly irrationally afraid of the other man until...

*puff!*

"Looks like we have a cute little bunny-chan here," said Kotetsu with an insufferably smug grin, and it took a moment to realize that he was a little taller than usual. Or actually the size of an average skyscraper. Barnaby shook all over.

"What's going on here?" another voice boomed from the hallway, and a moment later a bison entered the room. Wait. Bison?!

Barnaby couldn't help it, he just ran.

***

"What the hell's wrong with him?" Kotetsu huffed as he chased after the small but admittedly too fast bunny through the corridors, barely avoiding a girl with a large stack of papers in her hands.

"Put yourself in his place," Antonio answered from behind him, also out of breath, but, to Kotetsu's irritation, not slowing down one bit. Not that he was competing with the Bison... well, not really.

He didn't say anything else, because they were closing in. The bunny was huddled in a corner, shaking, and Kotetsu reached his hand--

"No, no, no! Don't open the door!"

The bunny zoomed out of the building, and Kotetsu cursed before running after him.

It took some time, but finally Kotetsu and Antonio managed to corner the poor animal. Behind him was a particularly large fountain, and both men were closing in, cutting any escape routes.

The bunny trembled, shrinking into a small fluffy ball, and Kotetsu pounced. Right when he was about to grab the bunny, he leaped from under his feet. Kotetsu lost balance and flew right into the fountain.

The bunny jumped at the string of curses from the water, and that's when a pair of big, rough hands grabbed him.

"Easy," Antonio soothed. "We're not going to hurt you."

~*~end of flashback~*~

"But I can't quite believe it," Kotetsu said conversationally when it was apparent that his previous question wouldn't get an answer.

Barnaby threw him a dirty glare.

"I mean," Kotetsu continued, "I've never seen a retrograde awaken at your age. Usually it's around puberty. Hey, Bunny-chan. Don't tell me you--"

A pillow landed on his head.

"It is absolutely none of your business, old man, but, for your information, my puberty has passed long ago," Barnaby answered calmly, as if he wasn't the one who's just thrown a pillow at his partner's head.

"So he says," Kotetsu snickered, earning himself another dirty look.

***

It was late. Too late, or too early, Kotetsu decided when he couldn't quite open his eyes. His sleep-clouded brain took sometime to figure out why he'd suddenly woken up in the middle of the night. Was there some sound, or...? There it was, a soft noise, a shaky huff. Kotetsu tore his eyes open and turned to the bed his partner had been occupying (why the hell did he have to take the couch? It was his house, dammit), and there he was, huddled into a small fluffy ball, long bunny ears shaking as Barnaby slept.

Kotetsu got up with a sigh and moved to cover the bunny with a blanket, but the moment his hand was close enough to the shaking creature, a hot nose buried in his palm, sniffing, and the bunny huddled closer to Kotetsu's extended hand.

"Can't be helped," Kotetsu murmured with a small smile, and turned into his Soul's Appearance. Crawling onto the bed, he sniffed the bunny's head, then settled down, wrapped around the tiny body, nudging the bunny's head until it rested on his paw.

***

Antonio opened the front door with Kotetsu's spare key, balancing large bags of groceries in one arm. It wasn't his duty to babysit the cat and the newly awakened retrograde, but somehow he couldn't leave these two alone.

He carried the bags to the kitchen and went to see if Kotetsu and Barnaby were awake, and if they were feeling better. The sight that met him in the bedroom made Antonio smile and search for a camera. He couldn't possibly let an opportunity like this, could he? Both men were in their animal forms, and Kotetsu was wrapped protectively around Barnaby's tiny form, the bunny's muzzle tucked in the crook of the tiger's neck.

Antonio made a couple of photos from different angles and went back to the kitchen, humming under his breath.

Half an hour later he was back in the bedroom, a towel on one shoulder. The picture hasn't changed -- both animals were still sleeping peacefully, and Antonio contemplated if he should shake them awake, before he remembered that sleepy cats had instincts. And he didn't need any unnecessary scratches on his person.

"Time to get up, you two!" he boomed instead, a safe distance from the bed. He just wished Kotetsu wouldn't injure Barnaby accidentally.

The tiger growled in his sleep, and the bunny burrowed further into the other's neck.

"The breakfast's getting cold," Antonio tried again, to a similar effect. "That's it," he muttered and slapped the tiger's backside with the towel.

Kotetsu jerked, instantly awake, then slowly focused on Antonio and glared. The bunny woke up, too, and was grumbling groggily.

"Breakfast," Antonio explained. "Now, turn back and go wash your faces before it gets cold. I'm not a fan of cat nude shows."

Kotetsu growled at him. Then his muzzle scrunched up in concentration, and a minute later he whined pathetically.

"What do you mean, you can't?" Antonio asked.

There was another pathetic whine, and the tiger slumped down on the bed, his head on his paws.

"Barnaby?" Antonio asked, and the bunny trembled with effort for a few moments then shook his head. "Great," Antonio sighed. "I'm calling a doctor."

Kotetsu grumbled, his tail pounding on the bed.

As soon as Antonio left the room, Kotetsu's stomach growled loudly. He sniffed the air, trying to guess what was waiting for them in the kitchen. There was another, tiny, squeaky growl at his side, and Kotetsu turned his head to look at Barnaby, who was doing his best to look like he didn't have the slightest idea where the sound had come from. Not at all. Kotetsu snorted then looked at the bunny thoughtfully, sniffed his neck. His stomach growled again.

Barnaby's fluff rose on his neck, and he glared at Kotetsu, baring his sharp front teeth. Kotetsu sighed and turned away. Beautiful aromas were assaulting his nose, and he whined before coming to a decision. He jumped off the bed and prowled in the direction of the kitchen.

Once there, Kotetsu stood on his hind legs and put his paws on the kitchen table, sniffing at the beautifully browned, fried bacon on one of the plates. He reached with his paw to tug one of the slices out of the plate and closer to the edge of the table and inhaled deeply before biting carefully at the edge of the wonderfully fragrant piece of meat. Kotetsu groaned in pleasure before letting out an undignified squeak when something sharp pierced his hind leg. He looked down, teary-eyed, to see Barnaby glaring up at him, teeth ready for another assault. Kotetsu half-growled half-whined at him, tail thrashing from side to side, but the bunny only narrowed his eyes and nodded towards the table.

Kotetsu sighed then pulled the other plate closer to the edge and swept a toast off it to the floor. Feeling quite accomplished, he looked down again, only to see that Barnaby was still glaring at him. Kotetsu looked at him, confused, and nodded towards the toast. Barnaby sighed loudly, as if he couldn't quite believe Kotetsu's stupidity, shook his head, and started nibbling on the piece of bread, looking thoroughly annoyed.

And that's when Antonio entered the kitchen. "There you are-- Hey, no paws on the table!" He slapped Kotetsu with a towel again, and the tiger whined, returning his front legs to the floor reluctantly when the Evil Towel was raised again. "The doctor said you probably have to wait it out," he said as he put both plates to the floor and took the toast Barnaby had been nibbling on to throw it out. "But if there's no change in twenty-four hours," he continued as he put a piece of bread in the toaster, "he told me to call him again, and he'd come to examine you."

Kotetsu nodded, looking solemn, then frowned at Antonio's amused expression.

"I've never seen a carnivorous bunny," he commented, and Kotetsu blinked then looked at Barnaby who was happily nibbling at a piece of bacon.

Kotetsu snorted and shook his head.

The rest of the day was more or less peaceful. Antonio left after preparing enough food to last them a day, and Kotetsu and Barnaby were left to their own devices. Aside from the small disagreement when Barnaby nibbled on Kotetsu's favourite chair, and the resulting bites on Kotetsu's legs, they didn't interact at all, until it was late enough to go to bed.

Kotetsu yawned. He didn't want to go to sleep first. Who knew what the annoying bunny was going to nibble next? He certainly wasn't looking forward to waking up from his coach crashing because Barnaby had eaten its legs. Sighing, Kotetsu rose from the rug he was lying on and went in search of his partner, only to find him snoring softly in the chair he'd previously nibbled on.

Kotetsu rolled his eyes and padded back to the bedroom to jump onto the bed.

***

Barnaby woke with a shiver. He was cold and uncomfortable, and his neck ached, which wasn't that much of a surprise, considering he was huddled in a chair. Rubbing his stiff neck, he tried to remember how he'd ended here, but the memories of the previous day were a little... fuzzy. He remembered bits and pieces, but the whole day didn't make any sense.

Deciding to think about it, when his head was clear, he rose from the chair, groaning when his muscles protested, and dragged himself to the bedroom to crawl onto the bed, moving closer to the warm body already there. It had such an enticing scent....

***

The two of them woke from a throat being cleared. Kotetsu blinked one bleary eye open to see Antonio smirking in the doorway. He blinked again to clear his vision and started raising a hand to scratch his head... and only then he noticed that he had both arms full of Bunny. The human Bunny, who was stirring and mumbling, slowly waking up. Kotetsu gulped.

"I didn't, did I...?" he asked, turning to Antonio, wide-eyed.

"From the scent of it, I'd say... no, you didn't," the other man answered with a smirk.

Kotetsu sighed in relief, and that's when a fist connected with his jaw.

"What are you doing in my bed, old man?!" Barnaby demanded, huffing in anger, hair sticking in every possible direction. 

"I see, my assistance isn't needed here," Antonio said before backing out of the bedroom.

Barnaby looked strangely... adorable, and Kotetsu couldn't help snickering.

"What do you find so funny?" the blond inquired, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, nothing." Kotetsu scratched the back of his head with a dorky grin. "But first of all, it is _my_ bed, and I was here first. You crawled in when I was asleep."

"I didn't..." He stopped abruptly, his face burning. He _did_ remember crawling into bed to find that something warm had already been there....

"See? Not my fault." Kotetsu grinned.

"Shut up, old man," Barnaby mumbled, looking anywhere but at Kotetsu.

"Right, right," Kotetsu chuckled. "Now, let's see..." He stretched with a satisfying snap. "...what's there for breakfast. I smell something nice." He sniffed the air, and Barnaby, who peered at him at that moment, blushed again, remembering Kotetsu's muzzle on his neck.

As soon as Kotetsu was out of the room, Barnaby slumped back onto the bed, burrowing his face into the only pillow. How had they managed to fit together with this little space? Barnaby groaned, sure that his face was going to stay permanently red.

But very quickly he calmed down. The sheets smelled nice. It was the strong, enticing scent that had drawn him in earlier, and Barnaby inhaled deeply, rubbing his cheek against the pillow. Belatedly he realized that the bed smelled like Kotetsu, and that made him groan again. Along with the fact that _he_ now probably smelled like Kotetsu, too.

Deciding that any more blood in his head would be harmful to his health, Barnaby got up, intending to take a shower to get rid of the lingering smell.

Once out, he wandered to the kitchen, stopping just outside the door when he heard the voices inside.

"...you might be a Heavy-seed, but a cat's still a cat," Antonio said with apparent smirk in his voice. "Are you sure you want to take me on?"

Kotetsu cursed softly in response. "Just leave him alone," he said. "Please? He doesn't know how things work yet, and I don't want him to bond with anyone until he knows what he's getting himself into."

"And who is that 'he' you are talking about?" Barnaby asked, finally entering the kitchen. "Do I get any say in you two deciding my fate?" The words dripped with sarcasm, and Kotetsu cringed. Antonio didn't even blink.

"Then what do _you_ think, Barnaby?" Antonio asked. "The compatibility is usually judged by smell. Which one of us smells better to you?"

Barnaby frowned, making an unconscious step towards Kotetsu.

"That answers it," Antonio said with a smile, getting up.

"What? I didn't...."

"I suggest you claim him properly," Antonio continued, addressing Kotetsu, "before it's too late." He smirked, the challenge clear on his face.

"I will, don't worry," Kotetsu answered with an equally challenging smirk, at the same time that Barnaby said: "But I didn't...!"

"So then, I'll take my leave." Antonio bowed slightly before heading out. "Oh, I almost forgot," he said, turning back to them when he was halfway across the kitchen. "I have a present for the both of you." He took something out of a pocket, and a moment later a couple of photographs landed on the table.

"What's this?" Kotetsu asked, taking a look at the photos, and a moment later he turned bright red. "You didn't!" he screeched.

"Oh, yes, I did," Antonio answered and retreated, as fast as it was possible to still look dignified.

And just in time, it seemed -- as he was closing the front door, he heard a loud crash from the direction of the kitchen.


	2. Chapter 2

The first day at work after the sick leave was hectic. It started with Agnes inviting him to dinner, and Barnaby refusing her very gently and saying that, well, he was awfully busy, and anyway, he still wasn't feeling so well. Which was a grave mistake, because the next thing he knew, Agnes promised to _play nurse_ for him. Scary. Barnaby was still shuddering at the thought of it.

But it wasn't the fact that a beautiful woman wanted to nurse him back to full health, whichever means she had in mind. It was that every time he looked at her, Barnaby saw her as an _ape_. And it was disturbing, to say the least.

Barnaby shook his head. Why had he refused Kotetsu's offering that morning?

~*~flashback~*~

"Hey, Bunny," Kotetsu called when Barnaby was about to leave. He'd spent the last couple of days at Kotetsu's apartment recovering from cold and learning about madararui.

The old man wasn't a bad host, and surprisingly, he wasn't such a bad teacher, either, but Barnaby was still happy to go home and then back to work.

"What is it, old man?" he asked and waited for Kotetsu to emerge from the kitchen.

"Ah, here." Kotetsu rummaged in his pocket and gave Barnaby a piece of bright ornated paper folded into a small envelope.

"What's this?" Barnaby asked suspiciously.

"A lucky charm," Kotetsu answered with a shrug. "Take it."

"I have no need for luck," Barnaby said coldly. "Or are you implying I lack in skill?" His eyes narrowed.

"No, no! Nothing like that!" Kotetsu shook his head vehemently. "Just take it, okay?" He thrust the envelope at Barnaby.

Who didn't intend to move a muscle to do that.

"The more you try to force it on me," he said thoughtfully, "the more suspicious it looks. What's in it?" he demanded.

"What? Nothing, just... a lucky charm." Kotetsu fidgeted nervously. Which wasn't reassuring at all.

"I'm not taking it until I know what's inside," Barnaby said firmly.

"Alright, alright." Kotetsu sighed. "It's... my claws."

"You mean, your clippings," Barnaby clarified, getting more annoyed by the minute.

"Well, I guess, you can put it that way." Kotetsu scratched the back of his head with a crooked grin.

"No," Barnaby answered curtly, turning away.

"Wait, wait! You can't go out like that!" He sounded desperate, so Barnaby turned back to him.

"And why is that?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Look." Kotetsu sighed again. "You're... broadcasting. Without my scent on you, you'll be an easy target for anyone within sniffing radius. Just take it, please?"

"I'm not carrying your clippings with me," Barnaby answered and went out of the door.

~*~end of flashback~*~

On the other hand, walking with Kotetsu's clippings in his pocket would've been even more embarrassing, so Barnaby reassured himself that he'd made the right decision.

Unfortunately, his resolve lasted till the moment he entered the gym, and Nathan threw himself at him and clung with the force of a hungry leech.

"You are more stunning than ever, handsome," Nathan cooed, his face dangerously close to Barnaby's. "Do you want me to help you warm up? Help you stretch? Hmmm?" he murmured effusively, and Barnaby could swear he could smell everything Nathan had had for breakfast.

He cringed. And of course, it didn't help any that what he saw before him was a huge monkey with painted lips.

"I'm sorry," Barnaby smiled politely, "but I prefer training by myself. But if I need any help later, I'll be sure to call you."

"Don't be so cold, handsome," Nathan practically whined, and he obviously didn't have any intention of letting go.

"He said he'd call you, Nathan."

Nathan flinched and peeled himself off reluctantly, glaring over his shoulder at Antonio.

"Just a little bit more...," he mumbled under his breath. Then, "Well, see you around, boys!" And with a wave of his hand, Nathan was out of the room.

"Thank you," Barnaby breathed out.

"Well, well," Antonio smirked. "Seems like Kotetsu ignored my advice after all. Or maybe he's just not good enough?"

Barnaby felt a vein popping on his forehead. He was the only one who could criticise the old man. From anyone else it was... unacceptable.

"Thank you for your concern, but I don't think it's any of your business," Barnaby answered curtly, partly annoyed at Antonio and partly embarrassed by his own reaction.

"I didn't mean anything bad." Antonio raised his hands in defence. "I just think I'd be a much better teacher, much more attentive, responsible...." He let the implications hang in the air, and Barnaby felt even more irritated.

"I think I don't feel well enough to train, after all," he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He gave Antonio a short nod and retreated from the gym.

Antonio stood there with a small smirk, his eyes glinting with mirth.

***

 _Just his luck,_ Barnaby thought when the moment he stormed out of the gym, he recieved a call. It was a robbery, something Heroes wouldn't get involved in normally, but unfortunately, the suspects were the group that had cleared out at least three banks in the last couple of weeks.

Running over the roofs, Barnaby almost didn't notice a black figure approaching him. The man sneaked up from behind a stack of boxes, and Barnaby had less than a moment to turn around and aim a kick at the man's head. The robber, and he was obviously one of them, dodged, and Barnaby just barely grazed his shoulder. The man still staggered back from the blow and cringed.

"It seems you are the only one left," Barnaby commented. Blue Rose was clearly heard from below, telling whoever was there that their crime would be put on hold. "Why don't you give up peacefully?"

"As if!" the man spat and aimed a gun at Barnaby. Who sighed internally, because wasn't it the stupidest thing the robber could do? Barnaby hadn't used any of his power yet.

With a quick move he kneed the man in the stomach, so the robber doubled over with a loud grunt, eyes visibly watering. But when Barnaby was about to pick him up to hand over to the authorities, the man's head perked, and he sniffed excitedly.

"What do we have here," the man murmured, and the next thing Barnaby knew, he was pushed back with surprisinf strength. Not nearly enough to overpower him, obviously, but he still had to take a step back.

"I smell something delicious," the man continued with a half-mad grin. His eyes glinted, and a moment later Barnaby saw a huge snake coiling around him.

Barnaby gulped. Logically, he wasn't weaker than a moment before, he could still knock the man out and hand him over to the police, but his instincts were screaming at him to run and hide, or he'd be eaten. Right now.

This moment of hesitation was more than enough for the man to place a nicely calculated kick at the back of Barnaby's knee so he could topple him, crawling onto Barnaby and aiming a gun at his face.

Barnaby kept telling himself that he wasn't in any danger, his costume would protect him if nothing else, and he could easily turn his power on, no matter how much waste it was to use it on a single robber. But at the same time, he could feel the snake's scales on his skin, its massive tail squeezing him, making it hard to breath.

He was about to activate his power when the robber was swept off him. The feel of the snake around him disappeared immediately, as well as the annoying bunny instincts. Barnaby sighed in relief, making a mental note to work on suppressing these instincts, because they were obviously interfering with his performance.

Taking a look around, Barnaby caught a glimpse of Sky High flying off the roof with the robber slung across his shoulder. And was it a tail, wagging, he saw on the hero...? Barnaby shook his head.

***

"Are you alright?"

Barnaby waved Kotetsu off, ignoring the older man's concerned expression. "I was just caught off guard," he said. "It won't happen again."

"If you're sure." Kotetsu still didn't look convinced, giving Barnaby a suspicious look. "What happened there anyway?"

"Not that it's any of your concern, old man," Barnaby looked at him, daring to say otherwise, "but I think that man was a Snake's Eye."

Kotetsu frowned. He obviously wanted to say something else, but was holding his tongue.

"Now, if you'll excuse me." Barnaby retreated before Kotetsu could lose the battle with his own tongue.

"Excuse me." He made his way through a group of crewmen to where Keith stood, still in his costume, like all of them. "Sky High?" he called to grab the man's attention.

"Oh, Barnaby!" Keith anwsered, and it was apparent from his tone that the man was beaming. "Everything alright?" Slight concern was added to the happy tone.

"Yes, well..." Barnaby looked down briefly. "I wanted to thank you for earlier. It was very irresponsibly of me to let my guard down like that."

"Don't mention it," Keith said with a wave. And then, "You're welcome, and then, you're welcome!" He stroke a pose.

Now Barnaby was sure he saw a tail wagging. He looked away, remembering that it was impolite to stare at the others' Soul's Appearances.

"Are you sure you're alright?" concerned voice said right at his ear, much too close for Barnaby's comfort. "Maybe I should see you to a doctor...?" And was Keith trying to _sniff at his ear_? Barnaby tensed.

"Back off, Sky High."

Barnaby looked up to see Kotetsu, hands on his hips, long striped tail clearly visible and thrashing from side to side.

"I was just concerned about his health," Keith answered, taking a step back.

"Well, thanks, but he's my partner, so it's my responsibility to take him home." Kotetsu sounded annoyed, and Barnaby rolled his eyes internally. He wasn't anyone's property or a child, and he was still there.

"I think I'm perfectly capable of going home by myself, thank you," he said tersely and strode off.

***

What were they thinking? All of them. Barnaby sighed, stuffing his things into a bag. He didn't mind popularity, but this was getting ridiculous.

He sneaked out of the building, partly ashamed at himself for doing so, but even more he wanted to avoid anyone else throwing themselves at him. It was just getting on his nerves.

Just outside the back exit a crowd of teenaged fangirls was waiting for him, and Barnaby suppressed another sigh and smiled politely, ready for an impromptu autograph session.

For the first minute or so nothing was out of the ordinary -- the girls were squealing and blushing, giving him various things to sign -- cards, of course, cell phones, bags... But then one of the girls stepped up to him. She seemed no older than fifteen, but her lips were brightly painted, as well as long, pointed nails.

"Would you, please, sign..." she started, looking him straight in the eyes, and her pupils were slitted, like a cat's or a snake's, "...my chest?" she finished, smirking.

And that's when all hell broke loose. Girls started screaming, some tried to drag the teen away, pulling at her hair, others threw themselves at Barnaby, begging to sign different body parts, and yet others were tearing at his clothes.

Barnaby barely resisted using his powers on this bunch of leeches from hell -- after all, it wouldn't do any good to his reputation if he accidentally broke some of their necks. But he had to do _something_...

"Hey! What's going on here?"

Barnaby turned his head to see Kotetsu a few feet away, out of his costume and even his mask, and he looked positively livid. Energy swirled around him, but it wasn't his NEXT power, it was an aura that formed into a large, angry tiger, his fangs bared.

"Leave him alone. Now," Kotetsu growled, and the girls froze.

"I feel something scary," one of them whispered, and in moments all of them scattered away, muttering and glaring at Kotetsu over their shoulders. All but one.

The teen with the slitted pupils was still there, and now she had a pair of white ears, plastered to her head, and a long, sleek tail, flailing from side to side.

"Didn't you hear me?" Kotetsu asked, striding closer to the girl until they were practically nose to nose, as much as their height difference allowed. "Off you go, kitten."

The girl cursed under her breath. "He's not even yours," she muttered before stomping off.

Kotetsu stared at her back for a few moments, then gave a huge sigh and scratched the back of his head, the tiger aura disappearing.

"Well, that was awkward," he said. "You alright?" He turned to Barnaby who was staring at him with a mix of gratitude and irritation. "Hey, do you want me to see you home?" Kotetsu asked, grinning. "Or you'll be eaten by another bunch of fangirls."

Irritation won. Barnaby glared at him, turned around and walked away. "I can go home by myself, old man," he threw over his shoulder.

***

Barnaby slumped into a chair with a sigh. After the day's events he was drained, and even a long shower didn't help much. He was still tense and needed a drink, but he really didn't want to go out. Instead, he dozed in the chair until he heard a ring at his door.

Barnaby dragged himself up and went to answer it, sighing when he saw Kotetsu's grinning face on the intercom screen.

"Hey, Bunny. Can I come in?" Kotetsu asked and held up a pack of beer.

Barnaby contemplated ignoring him and going back to sleep, but the bottles looked appealing, moisture condensating on the obviously cold surface.... At least now he wouldn't have to go out.

A couple of minutes later Kotetsu was already making himself at home on Barnaby's couch, a beer in his hands. Neither of them said much, for which Barnaby was grateful -- he wasn't in a mood to answer any more questions, and was sure he was going to shoot the next person who asked him if he was alright. Kotetsu was eyeing him suspiciously, but at least he hadn't said anything so far.

The atmosphere was calming, and Barnaby felt that he was dozing off. He shut his eyes for a minute, relaxing, ignoring the shuffling from the direction of the couch, and the next thing he knew, there was a pair of lips on his own and a hand on his hair.

Barnaby jumped, his eyes flying open. He shoved at Kotetsu, who stumbled back a few steps, nearly losing his balance.

"What was that for?" Barnaby snapped.

"I, well...." Kotetsu looked ashamed, his head hung. "I couldn't let the things go this way!" he said, looking back up and straight into Barnaby's eyes. "They'll tear you apart before you know it!"

"So you decided to force yourself on me," Barnaby concluded curtly. "I thought better of you, old man," he said in a betrayed tone.

"I didn't...! I mean, you wouldn't have noticed! No, that's not right. I...." He stopped abruptly, looking at his feet again.

"You what?" asked Barnaby, his eyes narrowed.

"I thought... I like you, so...." He stopped again.

Barnaby felt disgusted. "Doesn't everyone?" he asked with as much venom as he could muster.

Kotetsu looked up and caught his expression.

"No, no, no! That's not what I mean!" he said in a rush, waving his hands. "I mean, even before all this happened. I..." He took a deep breath. "I've liked you from the start, Bunny."

Barnaby blinked. It was the last thing he expected to hear, and now he didn't know what to feel about Kotetsu's confession.

"You're not... a schoolboy, are you?" he said finally. "Because I'd think you were a little too old for that."

Kotetsu grinned. "Well, what can I say? I'm young at heart."

Barnaby snorted. "That's one way to put it," he muttered.

"So, erm..." Kotetsu waved a hand between them. "Did you hate it?"

Barnaby gave his question a minute of thought, frowning. It didn't feel as repulsing as he might've thought, and maybe Kotetsu was a little better than the hordes now chasing after him....

"I don't think I did," he said slowly.

Kotetsu beamed. Without waiting for another invitation, he was on Barnaby in moments, his hand in Barnaby's hair, kissing him deeply. Barnaby's first instinct was to pull away, but a moment later he responded, thrusting his tongue into Kotetsu's mouth, making the older man growl low in his throat.

Their hands roamed, touching and squeezing, grabbing at each other's clothing, until Kotetsu had to pull away to tug Barnaby's shirt off, over his head, throwing it in an unknown direction. But before he could latch his mouth to Barnaby's chest, Barnaby pushed him away, a little too strong, and he had to grab the front of Kotetsu's shirt when he lost his balance.

"Sorry," Barnaby muttered, tugging him closer, and started popping the buttons open when Kotetsu was stable again, a hand braced on the back of the chair.

The rest of the clothes disappeared quickly, littering the floor and other less likely surfaces. Barnaby panted as Kotetsu slid down his body, leaving a trail of licks and bites along his chest and stomach. He pushed at his shoulder, desperate, and moaned in protest when Kotetsu pulled back with a mumbled curse. A boot was flung aside a moment later, and Kotetsu rubbed his knee, sure that there'd be a bruise later.

Barnaby pulled at his hair, impatient, moaning softly when Kotetsu moved, finally, kissing the inside of his thigh along the way. It was a torture, as sweet as it was, and Barnaby thrust his hips, needing the contact, any contact. And then he cried out when Kotetsu, finally (how long did he intend to make him wait, anyway?), licked the head of his cock. Slow and teasing, he swirled his tongue around it, humming, while holding Barnaby's hips down with both of his hands.

Barnaby tried thrusting into his mouth, bucking against Kotetsu's hold, still not desperate enough to plead, at least not in words. Kotetsu's answering chuckle made him growl, and Barnaby pulled at his hair again, hard. This got him a hiss and a muffled curse, but then Kotetsu swallowed him whole, finally, because neither of them could stand much more teasing anymore.

Barnaby threw his head back, a cry frozen in his throat. His whole body was burning, whirls of blinding pleasure shooting out and gathering back to his cock, tightening until the impossible heat was too much to take. He screamed then, coming, spilling into Kotetsu's throat, and for a moment his vision blackened.

Coming down, he panted harshly. All he could do was look at Kotetsu who was wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Barnaby took a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing his lungs to calm down. He was impossibly tired, in a pleasant way, and he let his eyes drift closed.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Kotetsu sounded alarmed, and Barnaby cracked one eye open, frowning down at him. "Don't you dare fall asleep here!" He glared at Barnaby. "Wh-what about me?" He didn't sound too reassured by Barnaby's lack of reaction, and Barnaby tried to force-start his brain to understand what Kotetsu wanted from him.

"Damn sleepy Bunny," Kotetsu muttered and got up with a sigh. "Come on; let's put you to bed at least."

He pulled Barnaby from the chair by a hand and let him to the bedroom, muttering all the way. After tucking him in (at which Barnaby was appalled but wasn't awake enough to really resist) he disappeared from the room, and a minute later Barnaby heard the sound of the shower starting from the direction of the bathroom. A few moments later he was asleep.

***

He was waking slowly, warm and comfortable. At first he thought that he left a heater on, because his bed was warmer than he remembered it being usually, but he was sure he hadn't turned the heater on. He frowned, thinking about it. Deciding that he didn't care either way, he reached for his watch on the bedside table-- or at least, he tried to, because something was holding him around the waist. He tugged the blanket up, and under it and around his waist was an arm. Hairy and obviously male. Along with the fact that he was completely naked, it made him think hard about what had happened last night....

Barnaby almost slapped himself on the forehead when he did remember. But surprisingly he didn't feel the slightest bit disturbed by the fact that he'd slept with his partner, on the contrary, it felt like something that should have happened long ago. He smiled to himself. Of course, he didn't have any intention to tell Kotetsu any of it.

Speaking of. Kotetsu was spooned comfortably at his back, so natural that it wasn't surprising that Barnaby hadn't noticed him at first. Listening closely, Barnaby heard his breathing, deep and slow in sleep. Unfortunately, all of Barnaby's senses were wide awake now, so he felt clearly something poking at his lower back. Something unmistakably hard.

Barnaby felt his face heating. He also remembered that he didn't do anything in return for Kotetsu's rather spectacular 'performance', so maybe.... He thought for a moment, frowning. It couldn't be that hard. Coming to a decision, he wriggled from under Kotetsu's arm carefully and pushed gently until Kotetsu was flat on his back. His cock stood up proudly, and Barnaby glared at it, sure that the organ was mocking him. He shook his head, chasing the ridiculous thought away, and leaned down, giving the head an experimental lick. Kotetsu sighed, still asleep.

Barnaby narrowed his eyes, contemplating the taste. It wasn't anything he'd prefer, but it wasn't as bad as he thought would be either, so he gave it another small lick, and then sucked the head into his mouth.

This time Kotetsu moaned, and one of his hands landed on Barnaby's hair. As Barnaby started sucking, Kotetsu's breathing began to speed up gradually, and his fingers tightened, pulling Barnaby's head closer.

Reassured by Kotetsu's reactions, Barnaby trailed his tongue down the underside of Kotetsu's cock, along the vein, and then back up, sucking in the process. Kotetsu exhaled sharply, and his eyes flew open. He gave a low moan and stroke Barnaby's hair, bucking his hips.

Barnaby froze. He looked up to see Kotetsu watching him, and suddenly he didn't know what he was doing anymore. He pulled away slowly, watching Kotetsu's expression. The hand in his hair loosened, and Kotetsu sighed.

"You don't have to, you know," he said with a slight slur, still not fully awake.

Barnaby glared at him, stubborn. He wasn't going to leave something unfinished, even if it was embarrassing, and.... Kotetsu gave him a long-suffering look before tugging at his hair. Barnaby went with it, letting himself be pulled along Kotetsu's body until they were face to face.

"No, really. You don't," Kotetsu said, perfectly clear now, before giving Barnaby a long slow kiss. "I'd rather do something else, anyway," he muttered against Barnaby's mouth and slid a hand down to squeeze his ass.

Barnaby gasped in surprise, and that was all the invitation Kotetsu needed to slide his tongue into Barnaby's mouth, tracing it along his teeth and deeper, thrusting in and out to show what he intended to do.

It was Barnaby's turn to moan, and he ground his hips into Kotetsu, rubbing himself against Kotetsu's stomach. Kotetsu pushed back, groaning, and then pulled away. His pupils were dilated, and lips red, he panted harshly looking up at Barnaby.

"As much as I," he gulped, "like it, I won't hold long if you keep doing that," he said.

"What, this?" Barnaby asked with a smirk and ground down again.

Kotetsu growled, his head hitting the pillows, then bucked to throw Barnaby off him, and a moment later had had the younger man pinned to the bed, face down, sitting on his hips. He leaned in to whisper into Barnaby's ear.

"Don't provoke me," he warned.

Barnaby bucked against him, but Kotetsu put a hand on the back of his neck, pushing him down. Barnaby froze. He felt trapped, unable to move, and he suddenly realised that it was one of his new instincts. That was exactly what had happened when that Snake-- He felt his heart pounding, speeding up by the moment.

Kotetsu sniffed at his ear and let out a low growl, his free hand snaking down Barnaby's back, blunt nails scratching, until it reached his ass. Barnaby trembled when the first finger entered him, firm, insistent, wiggling inside him. Barnaby's breath hitched. He didn't know if he wanted to push against it or pull away, and his body was shaking with tension.

Kotetsu pushed another finger in, and at the same time bit Barnaby's shoulder, squeezing his teeth until Barnaby yelped. He lapped at the mark and moved lower, licking and biting along Barnaby's side, as far as he could go without letting go of his neck. All the while he was thrusting his fingers in and out of Barnaby, spreading them to loosen him faster.

Barnaby whined, thrusting back against the fingers, completely lost now. He didn't even attempt thinking anymore, giving in to the pleasure and the occasional pain of Kotetsu's bites that made the pleasure even sharper. He groaned when the fingers withdrew, but very soon there was something else pushing into him, bigger, and he hissed when Kotetsu thrust in, too hard.

Kotetsu froze for a moment, panting. He wanted to move, but if he did, he wouldn't last for more than a minute. His instincts were screaming at him to take and claim, but he didn't want to hurt Bunny, at least any more than was absolutely necessary. He took a deep calming breath and withdrew slowly before thrusting back in.

The tight heat was enveloping him, and he whined, speeding up, gradually, careful not to push too hard. Bunny was writhing under him, panting, his ass squeezing convulsively each time Kotetsu drove in, and it was more than he could take. Kotetsu pounded with all his might, growling, his head thrown back, the body beneath him answering his every thrust, moving along with him. The sensations were overwhelming, and with the last clear thought Kotetsu leaned down, resting all of his weight on Barnaby's back, and snaked a hand around his waist to grab his cock, stroking in time with his thrusts.

Barnaby arched into him, his hips losing the rhythm as he tried to thrust into Kotetsu and into his hand at the same time, yelping every time Kotetsu's cock hit that spot deep inside him. It was pure madness, and he screamed when Kotetsu bit his back, between the shoulder blades, so hard that Barnaby was sure he would draw blood.

Kotetsu shook, his body out of his control, pounding deep, and fast, and hard, and when he felt the coppery ting under his tongue, he lapped at it, growling, hungry for more. It was too much. He felt his balls tightening, and a moment later he was shouting his release, deep into his Bunny's body.

He had just enough presence of mind to keep stroking Barnaby's erection when he slumped down onto him, moving just the slightest bit to allow his own hand the space to move. Barnaby was thrusting into his fist, moaning and groaning, his whole body sleek with sweat, and very soon he froze, trembling, his semen coating Kotetsu's hand and dropping down onto the sheets.

For a few moments neither of them could move, both completely drained and struggling with their breathing. But then Barnaby's shoulder twitched.

"Could you, please, get off me?" he mumbled against the pillow.

"Ah, sorry." Kotetsu groaned as he struggled to do just that, flopping onto his back at Barnaby's side. "You alright?" he asked, turning his head to look at Barnaby, but all he could see was a mass of dishevelled blond hair.

Barnaby snorted in reply. "Could you have thought of it before...? Anyway, did you have to bite that much?"

"Sorry," Kotetsu said again, smiling sheepishly.

Barnaby turned his head to glare at him. Kotetsu bit back a snicker. The ruffled Bunny was so adorably ridiculous, he almost couldn't help it.

"Well... at least now you don't have to worry about the hungry hordes of admirers," he said with a grin. "At least for a while," he added.

Barnaby's glare intensified and Kotetsu had to look away, biting his lip to stop a chuckle.

"You're going to be insufferable about it, aren't you?" Barnaby muttered in an irritated tone. "Maybe I should have agreed to Antonio's proposition."

"His... what!? What did he say?" Kotetsu demanded, flipping to his side to look at Barnaby intently.

"He said he'd be a better teacher," Barnaby answered, eyes narrowing. "And maybe he would," he added, just to grate on Kotetsu's nerves. It wasn't a nice thing to do, but somehow the alarmed look on Kotetsu's face made it worth it.

"That bastard!" Kotetsu muttered. "And I thought he was interested in someone else."

Barnaby frowned at the last part, but decided that he didn't care either way. At least, not now.


	3. Chapter 3

Antonio looked up the moment Kotetsu entered the locker room. It was impossible to ignore the beaming, smug grin, and when the other man was in the sniffing distance, he knew why.

"Did something good happen?" he asked anyway, smirking as Kotetsu puffed his chest, apparently proud of his achievement.

"Why don't you tell me?" Kotetsu said.

"Smells like something did," Antonio answered lightly with a bit of teasing in his tone. "Care to celebrate? We haven't had a drink together for a while."

"Sure, why not. Bunny won't let me near him for the next couple of days anyway," he sighed.

Antonio raised his brows at that. "What did you do?" he asked, thoroughly amused.

Kotetsu mumbled something in response, looking embarrassed, and Antonio repressed a snort at the man's antics. One moment he was grinning like a fool, bright enough to supply the whole city with power for a week, and the next.... But he could guess at least some of the things that might have happened, and knowing these two and the amount of unresolved sexual tension constantly flying between them, it wasn't too hard to guess everything else.

"Anyway, that's not the point," Kotetsu said, clearly this time. "Don't _you_ dare lay a finger on my Bunny!"

Antonio blinked at him, surprised, and then his shoulders started shaking.

"What made you think I wanted to?" he asked with a chuckle. "He's far too skinny, and you know I'm after someone else."

"Yes, well," Kotetsu grumbled, "what did you expect me to think after telling him _that?_ "

Antonio laughed out loud at that, making Kotetsu scowl at him with narrowed eyes.

"I was provoking him," he said, reigning his laughter in. "You should have seen his expression when I told him you weren't good enough." He chuckled again, shaking his head.

Kotetsu looked ridiculously proud for a moment, then narrowed his eyes again. "Which reminds me," he said, looking at Antonio intently. "Who _is_ your mysterious man?"

"That," Antonio answered, "you'll have to find out for yourself." Smirking, he stood up and went out of the room, Kotetsu's wails of "Come on! Spill!" ringing after him.

***

The gym a calming place for Antonio, all of the equipment predictable and comfortingly familiar, and the repetitiveness of lifting weights almost meditative. It was a place he came to clear his mind, or when he didn't have anything else to do.

Walking along benches with a couple of plates in his hands, he saw something that grabbed his attention.

"No, no, that's not how you do it," Antonio said, leaning over a bench where Ivan was struggling with a weight.

Ivan looked up at him, confused, putting his barbell on the rest.

"Your hand spacing is too narrow," Antonio explained. "This way you're working on triceps, but there's not enough exercise for pectorals." He put his plates down on the floor. "Let me show you," he said.

***

Kotetsu nearly dropped a dumbbell on his foot when he saw Antonio, leaning over Ivan, stroking his upper arm. Didn't the man have _any_ shame? He stalked closer for a better look, sitting down a few benches away to imitate doing preacher curls, watching closely.

Antonio was saying something, and Ivan was nodding with a concentrated frown. What the hell were they talking about? Kotetsu strained his ears, but the clattering of metal, the usual noise of any gym, prevented him from making out any words. Antonio's hand moved to Ivan's chest, and the younger man's frown deepened. He moved his arm up, as if to push Antonio away, but instead of doing that, it went up all the way. Antonio nodded, and Ivan smiled at him with a nod of his own.

***

It was a lazy day, and Antonio wandered aimlessly down long, densely populated streets, trying to find something to do. They didn't have any scheduled appearances, and it seemed like every criminal in Sternbild was on holiday, leaving Heroes bored and twitchy -- after all, it was always eerily calm before a storm....

And still, the day wasn't completely unproductive. Antonio had had a particularly satisfying workout earlier, adding a few extra plates to Kotetsu's barbell just too see his ridiculously stoic expression when he was lifting it, and to stop the annoyingly smug stares he was throwing at Antonio. He had no idea what could possible put Kotetsu in this mood, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but if he kept staring at him at the bar.... Antonio had to do something about it. He fished a mobile phone out of a pocket and dialled.

"Hey, Nathan. Care for a drink?"

***

The proverbial storm had struck that evening. Antonio was half-heartedly fending Kotetsu, who was as smug as a few hours ago, off, sipping his beer as he answered that, no, he didn't think Ivan was interested in anyone, and, yes, he _was_ skinnier than Barnaby. Where had these questions come from, anyway? He sighed for the umpteenth time that evening and waited for Nathan, who was 'fashionably late' as always, to appear and avert the tiger's attention.

That's why he was looking at the door when Nathan finally made an appearance... with Keith beaming from behind his back. Wasn't it just _wonderful_? He stifled a groan and waved a hand at his friends.

Nathan started chirping happily the moment he saw them, squeezing himself beside Antonio at his chair, before Keith, ever the gentleman, brought him his own. For some time everything seemed to be going smoothly, the four of them chatting and drinking, Nathan shamelessly flirting with all three of them at the same time, until Kotetsu made one of his tactless remarks, and Nathan zoomed in on him in an instant.

"So..." he drawled, his face inches away from Antonio's. "Who _is_ it that finally caught our Bison's attention, hmm?"

Antonio pulled away and took a gulp of his beer.

"Come on!" Nathan pouted. "I want to know the competition. But I certainly won't complain if it was me." He leaned in again with a particularly lewd grin.

"Confess, and then, details!" Keith crowed from the other side of the table, his glass swinging dangerously in the air.

Antonio looked at him for a moment, ready to grab that glass if it went flying, then turned back to Nathan.

"You just want something to gossip about," he grumbled. "Now, back off. I'm not telling a word."

Nathan narrowed his eyes at him, searching his face. "It _is_ me!" He practically squealed. "Why didn't you say something! Oh, you big man..." He stroked Antonio's upper arm.

There was a strangled snort from the other side of the table, and Antonio turned to see Kotetsu coughing, beer foam all over his face. A look to Kotetsu's right showed him Keith, blinking, confused. Antonio sighed.

"It's not you, Nathan," he said slowly, looking Nathan in the eyes, as if talking to a small child or a particularly dense animal. "Now, drink your beer and back off."

"You don't have to be shy," Nathan cooed in answer. He slung an arm around Antonio's shoulders, clinging to him. "I'm more than happy to keep you company, gorgeous." He fluttered his lashes, and Antonio turned away with a sigh, stealing another glance at Keith who was sniggering into his glass.

The rest of the evening wasn't any better, with Nathan clinging to him like a leech, and Kotetsu starting to make jokes, getting progressively lewder with every glass, about the two of them. Keith joined in, taking a clue from Kotetsu, and soon the two were discussing the possible wedding gifts. Traitors. Antonio was ready to smack all three of them across their heads when Kotetsu's phone rang.

"It's Bunny," he announced, getting up from the table to find a quiet place to talk.

Nathan followed him with his eyes, a speculative look on his face. "Don't you think Kotetsu is getting closer to Handsome?" he asked conspirationally, watching Kotetsu's back.

"I don't think it's any of your business," Antonio answered mildly at the same time that Keith coughed on the other side of the table.

"Oh, my, are you alright?" Nathan asked, concerned, leaning over the table to slap Keith on the back.

Antonio breathed out in relief, finally free from Nathan's clutches. Then he caught Keith's eyes and smirked, knowing perfectly well that the other man couldn't _not_ smell exactly how close Kotetsu and Barnaby had become. Keith smiled back at him, brushing off Nathan at the same time, who was a little too insistent on rubbing his back. And who caught the look and glared at the two of them suspiciously.

"What? Do you know something I don't?" he asked, offended. "And here I thought I was the biggest gossip in the company!"

"We don't know anything," Keith reassured, slurring his words slightly, because out of the four of them he drank the most, while Nathan and Kotetsu had been harassing Antonio, and Antonio himself was busy trying to peel Nathan off him and trying to steer Kotetsu's attention to something _else_. "We just thought that you were observant, and then..." he paused for a moment, "and then, you are observant!" he finished with a grin.

"You're such a good man," Nathan purred, and Keith threw Antonio a frightened look when Nathan rounded the table to try to perch on his lap.

"Alright, Nathan, off you go!" Kotetsu appeared behind him, patting Nathan on a shoulder. "You'll squeeze him to death."

"Hey! I'm not fat!" Nathan protested, but still took his seat beside Antonio. "So," he said, when everyone was back at the table, his chin resting on folded hands. "What did Handsome tell you? Did you invite him to join us?"

"Actually," Kotetsu answered sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, "I have to go soon. Sorry, something came up."

"At this hour?" Nathan asked, both of his brows raised. "You two must have gotten _very_ close. We were just talking about it." He gave Kotetsu a knowing look.

Kotetsu glared at Antonio with a betrayed expression, and Antonio shook his head, mouthing "I didn't". Nathan was on them in an instant.

"I knew there was something going on!" he wailed, earning himself a few indignant glares from the nearby tables.

"Calm down, calm down!" Kotetsu hissed, then grinned apologetically at the other residents of the bar.

"And you, Antonio! How could you!?" Nathan continued, slapping him on a shoulder.

"We didn't.... It's not like we were hiding it from you!" Kotetsu cut in a hushed tone. "Just keep it quiet, please?" He smiled at Nathan apologetically. "I'll tell you... something, later."

Nathan narrowed his eyes at him. "I still haven't forgiven you," he huffed, crossing his arms. "Now, details!"

Antonio smirked at Kotetsu and sat back in his chair, enjoying the show. That was his initial plan, and he was going to savour every moment of it.

Half an hour later Kotetsu looked like he was ready to tear all of his hair out. It wasn't easy to be the centre of Nathan's attention on the best of days, and when you had to cover some crucial facts, like both him and Barnaby being madararui.... Antonio almost pitied him. He turned his attention to Keith, who was swaying in his chair slightly, grinning, and obviously enjoying the interrogation as much as Antonio did. But still, the sight wasn't very reassuring. Antonio reached to steady the glass that was threatening to fall out of the other man's hand.

"I think that's enough for you," he said, slightly slurring the words himself.

"Think so, too," Keith slurred back, turning to grin at him. "I have to go, feed Pochi," he added.

Antonio smiled, taking the glass out of his hand. "Why would _you_ want a dog?" he asked, cringing when Nathan practically fell on him, trying to get to Kotetsu.

"So that's what your 'five minutes' mean, old man," a cold voice said from above them, and four pairs of eyes turned to Barnaby, arms crossed, in front of their table.

A low murmur spread throughout the bar, and a man stood up from a nearby table with a notepad in his hands, but Barnaby threw him a death glare, and the man sat back with a gulp.

"Hey, Bunny!" Kotetsu slurred, grinning. "Here, take a seat." He moved to the edge of his chair, losing balance and nearly falling off it.

"That's it," Barnaby said, and with that he marched to Kotetsu and dragged him up by the back of his shirt. "You're going home. Now." Nodding at the other Heroes, he strode out of the bar, Kotetsu shuffling after him, looking more like a guilty puppy than a tiger.

"I think, someone's wife is pissed," Nathan observed when the pair was out of hearing range. "So... Just the three of us?" He perched his chin on folded hands, looking between Antonio and Keith.

"I have to feed Pochi," Keith slurred, swaying when he tried to get up. Antonio reached across the table to steady him, but ended up on the table instead, knocking a glass over and soaking his shirt in beer.

Nathan moved his chair back, looking at the puddle crawling to his side of the table. "...or we could call it a day," he said.

Antonio scraped himself from the table, looking at his shirt in disgust, then rounded the table to stand at Keith's side, who wasn't very steady on his feet.

"I hope, you're not going to drive?" he asked Nathan, getting a hearty laugh in answer.

"Oh, please!" Nathan told him. "I'm taking a taxi. What about you two?"

Antonio looked at Keith, who was already leaning into him, eyes dazed. "I'll take him home," he said.

"Well then..." Nathan staggered as he was getting up. "Seems like I've had a little too much, too," he chuckled and headed towards the door, barely missing a couple of tables.

***

The ride home was uneventful. Keith had fallen asleep on Antonio's shoulder, snoring softly and mumbling something unintelligible, and it was a good thing that Antonio remembered his address and had enough money left to pay for the taxi. But unfortunately he didn't have enough for a ride home. He dragged Keith up the stairs, cursing softly as Keith's legs kept catching on the steps. Antonio wasn't too steady himself, so their way up was a long one, and several times they had nearly tripped over. Or rather, Antonio did, because Keith was out and obviously didn't intend to wake up any time soon.

When there were at Keith's door, Antonio propped him against it, pinning his lower body with his own so that the other man wouldn't fall, and shook his shoulder. Keith didn't move a muscle. Antonio shook him harder.

"Hey, wake up!" he called. "I don't want to sleep on your door mat."

Keith groaned, his head hitting the door from the force of Antonio's shaking. One bleary blue eye blinked open. "Where am I?" he muttered.

"You're home," Antonio answered, his patience waning.

"Oh, good." Keith closed his eyes again.

Antonio growled. "Don't!" He shook Keith again. "We're _outside_ your home," he clarified. "Where's your key?"

Keith blinked up at him, his eyes barely open. "In a pocket?" he said.

"Which one?"

Of course, Antonio could search through all of them, but just for Keith's dignity....

"Erm..." Keith frowned, thinking. "The back one? And then... on the right. I think." He wriggled against Antonio, making him groan.

"Alright, alright, I get it." Antonio grabbed his shoulders to stop any unnecessary movements, and when Keith was still again, he put a hand into Keith's pocket in search of the keys. And had to grit his teeth to leave it at only _that_.

Once the door was opened, they stumbled inside, grabbing onto each other to keep balance and crashing together to the floor, and Keith moaned miserably when he hit his head.

"Sorry," Antonio muttered.

Keith cringed. "You smell," he said, and Antonio snorted, surprised.

"Go to bed," he told Keith, scrambling to his feet, not without the help of a nearby wall.

"I have to feed Pochi," Keith answered, and right on cue, there was the sound of clawed paws on he polished floor, and a moment later a dog was lapping happily at Keith's face, wagging its tail. "Pochi, get off!" Keith commanded, and the dog took a step back with a whine.

"By the way, I'm staying at your place," Antonio said conversationally, leaning against the wall.

Keith looked up at him and nodded. "My home is your home," he muttered before trying to get up. Antonio reached for his hand and pulled him up, nodding when Keith thanked him.

"Go take a shower," Keith said after a moment. "You smell. Really."

Antonio smirked, and after quick instructions he was heading just there.

***

A quick, cold shower later Antonio was feeling slightly less drunk and a lot more human. Keith's bathrobe was a little tight around his shoulders, but it was that, or wearing his beer-soaked clothes, so Antonio wasn't going to complain. He wandered in search of his host, and found him in the kitchen, leaning against a table, a glass of water in his hands. Pochi was crunching something happily in a corner and looked at Antonio suspiciously when he entered the kitchen, but didn't do anything else.

"I don't know about you, but I want to sleep," Antonio said. "Should I take the couch?" He nodded in the general direction of the living room.

"No, no," Keith answered. He sounded a lot more coherent than before, but he was still slurring. "It's too small," Keith explained. "The bed's big enough."

Antonio raised a brow at that. "Do you think it's safe?" he asked jokingly. Or at least he wanted it to sound that way.

"Are you in heat?" Keith joked right back with a crooked smile.

Antonio thought for a moment how to answer that, and then just shook his head with a smile and went to the bedroom. He fell asleep the moment his body was horizontal, but not for long. 

He jerked, eyes snapping open, when something warm snuggled against his back. For a moment he couldn't remember where he was, but then he heard the soft snoring from behind, and smelled the unmistakable dog stench that wasn't bothering him at all lately. He smiled, turning around. Keith was fast asleep, his hair damp from a recent shower, clad only in underwear. Totally defenceless. If Antonio was a little more sober.... But as it was, he just ruffled Keith's hair and went back to sleep.


End file.
